Viv’s Silly Mango, Gugu naGogo, Namaste Yoga, and Yaz Queens will launch November 20 on ABC ME and ABC iview.
The short films are part of the Kaleidoscope Project, an initiative by ABC and Screen Australia which supports and showcases Australia’s next generation of filmmakers.
The films, from Mary Duong, Rachel Choi, Taku Mbudzi, Ravi Chand and Lara Köse, explore what life in contemporary Australia is like from communities who are often under-represented in the media.
Viv’s Silly Mango (Mary Duong and Rachel Choi) shows three Asian pre-teens as they navigate the meaning of family and friendship in their discovery of new music.
Gugu naGogo, (Taku Mbudzi), explores intergenerational and cultural relationships through the eyes of a 12-year old living in a small Australian town far removed from Zimbabwe.
Namaste Yoga, (Ravi Chand), follows a 12-year-old Indian-Australian boy who hates being Indian and struggles with internalised oppression. He learns to reclaim his culture through the practice and connection with the true essence of yoga.
Yaz Queens, (Lara Köse), looks at the relationship dynamics between a 10-year-old daughter and her father after eight years of living apart in different countries. Their cultural differences play a role in their struggle to relate but their shared love of music help to bridge that divide and bring them closer.